As a woman in 2021, there are countless things you wonder about with regards to fitness. The industry is very male-dominated, meaning there’s lots of information for men, but very little for women. The information that does exist can be misleading, usually because it’s based on outdated info that’s no longer correct.
Consequently, there are plenty of female fitness FAQs that get asked all the time. Today’s post will pick some of the most common questions, answering them in as much detail as possible…
Can women get as muscly as men?
Generally speaking, no, they can’t.
This is a generalization, but it’s all to do with testosterone. This is a hormone both men and women produce, but men produce far more of it. It plays different roles in reproductive development, but testosterone is also responsible for aiding muscle growth. As a result, many men will get TRT online if they’re struggling to gain muscle because of low testosterone levels. Boosting their testosterone levels helps them put on more muscle.
For women, we don’t produce enough testosterone to elicit the same muscle-building effects as men. We will still gain a lot of muscle, but it’s highly unlikely we can (naturally) get as muscular as the average man. So, you don’t have to worry about lifting weights and getting too muscly – it’s not going to happen.
Should women lift weights?
Again, this question usually links back to the first one. It seems to be every woman’s fear that they will lift weights and become extremely bulky. The reality is, as mentioned above, you aren’t going to look like some buff bodybuilder, even if you lift weights every single day.
The female body is different from the male one, and it is perfectly fine for you to lift weights. If anything, it is actively encouraged throughout the fitness industry. Don’t fall for the outdated idea that women shouldn’t lift weights and should only use cardio equipment. There are many benefits to weightlifting: it makes you stronger, more toned and can help you burn more calories because you have more muscle mass to fuel.
To answer the question, yes, women should definitely lift weights!
Will certain exercises help me lose fat on specific parts of my body?
Sadly, the fitness industry is full of frauds. What I mean is there are loads of fitness influencers or trainers that play on the common issues women have with their bodies. For instance, you may have excess fat on your stomach, hips, bum, or upper arms. As a result, you get countless workout routines with exercises designed to help you firm up these areas and lose the fat from them.
In reality, none of these routines will actually do that. Losing fat from a particular part of your body is not possible. Well, let’s rephrase that, you can’t target one area and only lose fat from that area. Doing arm workouts won’t necessarily help you lose the excess fat from your upper arms. It will help you build muscle there, but you still need to be in a caloric deficit to lose body fat. This means burning more calories than you consume each day.
Fat loss is a general thing that happens throughout your body – you can’t control where you lose or gain fat from. It’s a purely genetic thing, so stop wasting time doing workouts that claim to help you spot reduce fat. The only way you can do this is by getting cosmetic surgery to specifically target an area of your body.
Is it safe to work out when pregnant?
Yes.
In fact, exercise can help you stay in shape and get ready for labor and delivery. Many doctors will recommend that pregnant women try to exercise for 30 minutes on most days, helping them to stay active.
During the early stages of pregnancy, it’s totally okay to continue your normal workout routine. You can lift weights and push yourself as you normally would. As you get more heavily pregnant, the intensity needs to ease off. Instead of doing super-intense workouts, you might switch to walking or things like yoga. The bottom line is that it is definitely safe to work out while pregnant, so don’t avoid it!
Hopefully, this post has answered some of the burning questions you’ve had about female fitness. Yes, it’s safe for women to lift weights. No, you won’t get as big or bulky as a man. Yes, you can work out while pregnant. And no, you can’t spot-reduce fat with specific exercises.